14th January 2017 - chat session

Easy rides for everyone

About

Bournville gentle cycle rides started early in 2013,
following John Bennett’s successful application for support to Bournville
Village Trust. The rides are run by Push Bikes, the Birmingham campaign group for better cycling.The aim is to encourage
people who are not regular cyclists to get on their bikes for easy and sociable
outings. Routes are
mostly traffic-free, exploring local paths and parks. We try to avoid hills, the pace is very
gentle and new riders are welcome. If you have a rarely-used bike in the
shed, or you're not confident about riding on your own, or you just fancy some
fresh air and gentle exercise, come and join us. We offer
friendly advice to those with concerns about their cycling skills or their bikes
and, if you’re worried about fitness, we’ll always walk or wait. We go at the
pace of the slowest rider, and rides are FREE.The number of riders has steadily increased, and it is now not unusual for more than 20 people to turn up for a Saturday morning ride. To cater for people who would like to extend their range, there is a programme of longer rides in spring and summer, in addition to the regular gentle ride. Plans for the 2019 programme will be published in the spring under the "longer rides" tab. To give you some idea of distances and destinations, details of 2017 and 2018 rides have been left there for information.

We meet on Saturdays at Rowheath Pavilion at 09.50, for a prompt 10.00 start. The regular gentle ride is between 10 and 12 miles. There is usually a stop for coffee, and you might like to bring a snack and a drink, particularly on longer rides. Regular destinations include Waseley Hills and Woodgate Valley Country Parks, the city centre via the towpath, Harborne walkway,
the Cole Valley, Cannon Hill Park, M and S in Moseley and Maypole via the country
lanes beyond Kings Norton. Routes since this blog was set up early in November 2013 are shown on the "rides" tab above, with links to maps.Click here for a map showing Rowheath Pavilion.